High Functioning ADHD in Women
Women with high functioning adhd experience frustration and miscommunication in their relationships. Symptoms can heighten at times of hormonal change, like the pre-menstrual period and pregnancy.
add women and women resorting to compensatory strategies to mask their impairments and symptoms can delay the time for referral.
click here for more has particular issues which must be taken into account when treating them.
1. Insecurity about oneself
The emotional and social issues that come with ADHD can make women feel low. Even when they're successful, it's easy to feel like a failure because of things they cannot control. This can lead to an endless feeling of being overwhelmed and unsatisfied. This can have a negative impact on their mental health.
Girls who aren't treated for ADHD are more at risk of chronic low self-esteem as well as anxiety, teen pregnancy, depression, and abuse of substances. As adults, they're at an greater risk of being the sole parent to children with ADHD and financial difficulties, as well as underemployment. They're also more likely than others to be afflicted by eating disorders and to pass their bad habits onto their children.
It's crucial for girls to get a diagnosis, because it will give them an understanding of their struggles and allow them to manage their symptoms more efficiently. Many women report that they feel more confident after receiving their diagnosis, which allows them to stop beating themselves up over the little things they are unable to control. It can also help them see their struggles as strengths and refocus their focus on what is important most (Waite, 2010).
As women age and enter menopausal age, their hormone levels could change, and ADHD symptoms can become more severe. This can make it difficult for them to be diagnosed and treated because they're often misdiagnosed as having anxiety or mood disorder, and their symptoms are dismissed as "hormonal" or "that time of the month."
Untreated adult ADHD can have devastating effects on women's self-esteem as well as relationships with her family and friends. The symptoms can affect everyday routines, leaving them feeling exhausted and angry. She may feel she can't refuse to be around people which causes her to burden herself and feel resentful towards the people closest to her. She may find it difficult organizing her work and home life, resulting in delayed appointments and lost documents. She may be more prone to being triggered when she is rejected which makes her more likely to snap at people she loves.
2. Rejection Sensitivity
Rejection sensitivity makes you feel very hurt when rejected. This can be real or perceived. You could be triggered by an argument with your partner or a negative comment from a colleague at work. Your brain's natural defense mechanisms become over-stimulated and the thoughts and feelings that result could harm your relationships and self-esteem. Sensitivity to rejection can result in anxiety, depression and mood shifts.
While it's often associated with ADHD, rejection sensitiveness is actually a sign of emotional dysregulation that affects the way your brain manages emotions and how you react to them. Other mental health disorders like borderline personality disorder could also be a cause for these symptoms.
People with RSD may see events through a filter that makes them appear darker or less than they really are. This can cause people to interpret things as being related to rejection even if they aren't. RSD can make you unable to control your emotions. This is why it is crucial to develop healthy coping strategies to manage RSD.
Read the articles below to learn more about rejection sensitivity.
While there is no cure for RSD, it's possible to manage your symptoms with the assistance of a mental health professional. You can utilize strategies for coping, such as cognitive behavior therapy, which helps you modify your negative thought patterns. You can also establish an emotional support network and practice mindfulness to lower the chance of reacting negatively to rejection. This will help you overcome your RSD so that you can live a more fulfilling and happy life. It is also important to stay clear of toxic relationships since they can cause your symptoms to worsen. If you are in a abusive relationship, you should seek counseling to learn how to safely quit. This can help you lower the risk of experiencing rejection-related feelings, such as depression and anxiety. By focusing on healthy relationships and relationships, you can boost your self-esteem. This will make you feel more confident about your abilities and give an honest view of life.
3. Sexuality
ADHD symptoms can make maintaining a healthy relationship difficult. This can cause sexual dysfunctions or risky behavior. Women with high functioning adhd are at a higher risk of developing sexual problems. These behaviors can cause feelings of guilt and embarrassment which may affect their relationships and well-being.
One study conducted a survey of adults suffering from ADHD and found that they were more likely to have a passion for sexual exploration than those without the disorder. Both males and women were affected. This was likely due to their higher levels of impulsivity, which makes them more likely to act on their sexual desires and thoughts. Particularly, the study revealed that females with adhd were more likely to indulge in paraphilic masturbation fantasies and actions. This included bondage, submissive roles and sexing with strangers. It was also more common for them to attend sexual clubs and parties.
Both females and males suffering from adhd had a higher rate of infidelity than people without the disorder. This is due to their lack of impulse control, alcohol disinhibition and sensation-seeking. This was likely also due to their higher rates of anxiety and feeling misunderstood by their partners. The survey asked participants to describe their experiences with extra-partner affairs and sexual relations without contraception. Table 6 provides the results of this section.
The study also used the Hypersexuality-Symptom Inventory-19 (HBI-19), which asked participants to describe their sexual issues. The questionnaire consists of 19 items that are divided into three subscales. Each item is scored using 5 points, ranging from 1 (never to 5 (very often)). The higher the score the more symptomatology is present. The HBI-19 was used to evaluate the sexual behavior of adults with and without ADHD.
These results are important since the psychosexual outcomes of adults with ADHD have not been studied extensively. They have been linked to sexual dysfunctions, such as STI's and unwanted pregnancy, relationship dissatisfaction adult and adolescent onset infidelity and risky sexual behavior.
4. Relationships
Many people who have high functioning ADHD struggle with their relationships with loved ones. Insufficient communication and misunderstandings triggered by signs such as forgetfulness and inattention can cause anger, frustration and conflict in a relationship. A strong network of friends and family members who are able to understand each other can be beneficial in maintaining healthy relationships.
It is important to remember that those with ADHD have a difficult time listening. They can be interrupted easily by their impulsive behavior or own thoughts, which may cause them to lose the purpose of a conversation. People with ADHD may also have issues multitasking, which can cause them to mute conversations or do something else while other people are talking.
These conflicts can lead to an unbalanced relationship where the non-ADHD partner becomes overwrought with stress and resentment, and the ADHD partner is misunderstood and defensive. They can then become more withdrawn and the situation can get worse from there.
Women with high functioning ADHD often feel overwhelmed and exhausted by the demands of their everyday life. They may feel shame and low self-esteem because of their chaotic and impulsive behavior, or feel that they're unable to keep up with their bills and chores. They may also experience mood swings, sensitivity to rejection and low sex desire.
It is important that those who suffer from ADHD find a treatment and seek assistance. It is also important for their family members, especially spouses, to learn more about the disorder and how it affects their loved ones. Together, they can establish clear expectations and establish boundaries. They can then develop a plan to reach their goals. The non-ADHD partner can assume more financial responsibility while the person with ADHD will be focused on organising and completing the housework.
In addition, both parties must work together to communicate more effectively and clearly and establish a routine that includes regular sleep patterns, meal times and time to relax and rest. It's also important to discover ways to make life easier for both of you, such as sharing household chores or outsourcing some of the tasks that are difficult for the person with ADHD, such as hiring cleaning services or using apps to control costs.